Brent Rooker is an All-Star for the first time.
The Athletics’ designated hitter and outfielder will represent Oakland as an American League reserve in the 2023 MLB All-Star Game on July 11 at T-Mobile Park in Seattle.
Rooker, 28, is batting .241/.338/.464 with 13 home runs in 71 games this season, his first in an A’s uniform. Rooker has started 37 games as the designated hitter this season, as well as 21 in left field and six in right.
A first-round pick by the Minnesota Twins in 2017, Rooker made his major league debut in 2020 but never found his swing in The Show. The Twins traded him last April to the San Diego Padres, who then traded him a few months later to the Kansas City Royals.
The A’s claimed Rooker off waivers from the Royals in November. He made the Opening Day roster and took the league by storm, batting .353/.265/.779 with nine home runs in March and April.
Mike Trout of the Los Angeles Angels, New York Yankees slugger Aaron Judge and Tampa Bay Rays star Randy Arozarena were voted the AL’s three outfield starters. Two-way phenom Shohei Ohtani was voted the AL’s starting designated hitter in the fan vote.
Judge, however, is currently on the injured list with a fractured big toe, so the AL will likely announce a third outfield starter in the coming days.
Esteury Ruiz, Oakland’s electric outfielder who leads MLB with 42 stolen bases, was the other A’s player thought to be up for All-Star consideration but ultimately did not make the roster.